Which device alerts others if a firefighter has not moved for a set amount of time?

Which device alerts others if a firefighter has not moved for a set amount of time?

• A. Gas detector
• B. PASS device
• C. Heart rate monitor
• D. Global positioning beacon

Answer: (B)

The concept here is the Personal Alert Safety System. A PASS device is worn by firefighters and is designed to automatically broadcast an alarm if the wearer stops moving for a set amount of time, signaling that the person may be in distress or down. When the timer expires, the unit sounds loudly and often flashes, so others nearby can locate and assist the firefighter quickly. Movement resets the timer, so normal movement or a quick exhale and readjustment won’t trigger a false alarm. This differs from gas detectors, which monitor the surrounding air for hazardous gases and don’t signal distress from immobility. A heart rate monitor tracks the wearer’s physiology but isn’t a standard rescue alert in firefighting practice. A GPS beacon provides location information, which helps in locating someone, but it doesn’t automatically alert others about a lack of movement or imminent danger the way a PASS device does.

The concept here is the Personal Alert Safety System. A PASS device is worn by firefighters and is designed to automatically broadcast an alarm if the wearer stops moving for a set amount of time, signaling that the person may be in distress or down. When the timer expires, the unit sounds loudly and often flashes, so others nearby can locate and assist the firefighter quickly. Movement resets the timer, so normal movement or a quick exhale and readjustment won’t trigger a false alarm.

This differs from gas detectors, which monitor the surrounding air for hazardous gases and don’t signal distress from immobility. A heart rate monitor tracks the wearer’s physiology but isn’t a standard rescue alert in firefighting practice. A GPS beacon provides location information, which helps in locating someone, but it doesn’t automatically alert others about a lack of movement or imminent danger the way a PASS device does.